Pitman connection



June 8 1926.

S. H. WHITNEY PITMAN CONNECTION Filed Feb 11, 1925 Patented June 8, 192(5 ---1 PATENT OFFICE.

UNITED STATES STEPHEN H, WHITNEY, OF IDAHO SZRINGS, COLORADO, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-FOURTH TO JAMES STEPHENSON WHITNEY, OF IDAHO SPRINGS, COLORADO.

IITMAN CONNECTION.

Application filedTebruary 11, 1925. Serial No. 8,323..

My invention relates to the connection of the pitman with the knife head and crank shank of harvesting machines.

An important object of the invention is to provide means whereby the pitman may be quickly and conveniently connected or disconnected with the bearing member.

A further object of the invention is to provide means whereby the pitman will be securely held upon the bearing member,

and wear automatically taken up.

Other objects and advantages of the in vention will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

Figure 1 is a plan view of the improved- 29 pitman embodying my invention.

Figure 2 is an enlarged central longitudt nal section through one end of the pitman Figure 3 is a transverse section taken on line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 1 is a similar view on line l-d of Figure 2, and,

Figure 5 is an enlarged central vertical longitudinal section through the opposite end of the pitman, parts broken away.

In the drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred embodiment of my invention, the numeral 5 designates a knife head, of a type well known in the art. This knife head is provided with 35 a spherical bearing 6, preferably formed integral therewith. The numeral 7 desig.

nates the crank shaft of the harvester, carrying the crank head 8, provided with the usual wrist pin 9, upon which is mounted a bearing or casting 10. This bearing or casting, has spherical recesses or sockets 11 formed in its top and bottom, as shown.

The parts so far described are those of the well known harvester.

My improved connection embodies a pitman 12, preferably formed of wood or the like. Disposed upon one side of the pitman at each end, is a rigid strap or bar 13, which projects beyond such end, for a substantial distance, as shown. This strap is provided upon its outer side with a longitudinal recess 14, forming ribs or flanges 15. Formed integral with the outer end of the strap 13 3 is a bearing element 16, in the form cf a cup. Arranged upon the opposite side of the pitman 12 is a co-acting strap 13 provided at its forward end with an offset portion 1 1, bolted or otherwise rigidly at tached to the strap 14, as shown at 15. The straps 13 and 13 are rigidly held upon the end of the pitman by transverse bolts 16 or the like.

The numeral 17 designates a link or shank, the lower end of which is arranged between the ribs or flanges 15, and is pivoted there to by means of a pin 18 or the like. Formed integral with the link or shank 16 is a bearing element 19, in the form of a cup co-acting with the first named cup 16. The cups 16 and 19 are positioned at the outer end of the pitman and adapted to pivotally receive the bearing element 6. At the opposite end of the pitman. these cups are not employed, but spherical heads or bearing elements 20 and 21, are formed integral with the strap 13 and link or shank 17, as shown. These spherical bearing elements or heads are pivotally mounted within the recesses or sock ets 11, as shown. Except for the difierence in the bearing elements, the construction at the opposite ends of the pitman is the same.

The shank 17 is provided at its outer end with an apertured knuckle 22, integral therewith, and this apertured knuckle is retained within the forked end 23 of a tension lever 24, and is pivoted to the forward end of this tension lever, as shown at 25. Arranged rearwardly of the pivot 25, within the forked end of the tension lever, and spaced therefrom, is a transverse pin 26, pivotally receiving the eye or knuckle 27 of a suitably stiff leaf spring 27, the rear end of which is apertured forreceiving a pin 28. This rear end also passes beneath a transverse pin 29, carried in ears 30, formed upon the ribs or flanges 15. The rear end of this leaf spring is mounted upon the bottom of the recess 14, which decreases in depth toward the center of the pitman. Particular attention is called to the fact that the pin 26 is disposed inwardly or rearward- 1y of the pivot 18, and hence the action of. the leaf spring 27 is to urge the bearing element 19 toward the bearing element 16. This action retains the bearing element 6 within the sockets or hearing elements and also serves to automatically take up the wear between the parts. The tension lever may be provided between its ends with a bump 31, to clear the cars 30,

To release the bearing element 6, the tension lever 24 is swung away from the pitman 12, and the pivoted bearing element will be swung to the open position.

It is to be understood that the form of my invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, and that various changes in the shape, size, and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of my invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A pitman, a strap secured to one end thereof and provided with a bearing element, a co-acting bearing element pivotally connected with the strap, a compression lever pivotally connected with the co-acting bearing upon the outer side of its pivot and extending longitudinally of the strap, and a leaf spring arranged between the compression lever and strap and connected with said lever and strap and adapted to urge the compression lever inwardly towards said strap.

2. A pitman, a strap secured to one end of the pitman and provided with bearing element, a co-acting bearing element pivotally connected with the strap, a compression lever pivot-ally connected with the co-ac-ting bearing element upon the outer side of its pivot and extending longitudinally of the stra and a leaf s rin connected at its outer end with the compression lever and at. its inner end to said strap to urge the compression lever inwardly.

3. A pitman, a bearing element secured thereto, a coacting bearing element pivotally connected with the first named hearing element, a compression lever extending longitudinally of the pitman and pivotally connected at its outer end with the pivoted bearing element at a point to one side of the pivot of said pivoted bearing element, and a spring to bodily shift the compression lever inwardly toward the pitman and normally retaining the inner end of this lever in close relation to the pitman.

i. A pitman, a bearing element carried thereby, a pivoted bearing element arranged near the first named bearing element, a.

compression lever having its outer end pivotally connected with the pivoted bearing element and adapted to turn upon its pivot in a plane substantially perpendicular to the adjacent face of the pitman when positively effecting an opening movement of the pivot bearing element, and yielding means to bodily move the lever toward the adjacent face of the pitman and to normally retain the inner end of the lever in close relation to such face.

5. A pitman, a strap secured thereto and extending longitudinally thereof, said strap having longitudinal flanges ailording a channel and provided at its free end with a stationary bearing element, a transverse shank arranged within the channel and pivotally connected with the outer end of the strap and carrying a co-act-ing bearing element, a compression lever extending longitudinally of the pitman and having its forward end pivotally connected with the outer end of the shank upon the outer side of the pivot of said shank, a leaf spring arranged between the strap and lever and pivotally connected with the lever rear wardly of the pivot of the lever with said shank, and means for holding the opposite end of the leaf spring to the strap within the recess.

6. A pitman, a stationary bearing element connected with one end of the pitman, a pivoted bearing element arranged near the first named bearing element, a substantially rigid compression lever extending longitudinally of the pitman and pivot)- ally connected with the pivoted bearing element at a point upwardly of its pivot, and a leaf spring having its forward end connected to the compression lever at a point rearwardly of the pivot of the pivoted bearing element and having its inner end secured to the pitinan, said compression lever being held by the leaf spring in close relation to the pit-man and being adapted to be swung outwardly from the pit-man so that it will swing the pivoted bearing element outwardly,

7. A pitman, a stationary bearing element carried thereby, a coacting pivoted bearing element, lever having its outer end pivoted to the pivoted bearing element, the inner end of the lever being "free from connection with the pitman and movable away from the adjacent face of the pitman in a plane substantially perpendicular to such face, and a leaf spring attached to, the pitinan and pivotally connected with the lever and serving to normally retain the inner end of the lever in close relation to such adjacent face.

In testimony whereof I aliix my signa ture.

STEPHEN H. WHITNEY. 

